Elon Musk gave nearly $100 million worth of Tesla shares to charity for 'tax planning'

Core Insights - Elon Musk donated approximately 210,000 Tesla shares valued at nearly $100 million to undisclosed charities as part of year-end tax planning [1] - Musk's wealth is estimated at $619 billion, making the donation a small fraction of his overall net worth [2] - The donation comes as Musk seeks to strengthen his control over Tesla, where he has been CEO since 2008 [2] Company Control and Strategy - Musk has expressed concerns about not owning enough voting shares in Tesla, stating he would not feel comfortable expanding AI and robotics initiatives without controlling at least 25% of the company [3] - A new pay package approved by Tesla shareholders could potentially increase Musk's stake from 13% to nearly 29% if the company meets ambitious milestones [3][4] Financial Performance and Market Outlook - Tesla is expected to report annual sales figures soon, with an unusual pessimistic analyst consensus predicting a second consecutive year of sales decline [4] - The company has faced challenges with sales falling in China and Europe, despite a record high stock price driven by investor optimism regarding its robotaxi initiatives [5]